All efforts being made for safe return of students from Ukraine: Bihar government

PATNA: All efforts are being made, in coordination with the Centre, to ensure safe evacuation from Ukraine of students from Bihar who had gone to the war-hit country for pursuing higher education, the Nitish Kumar government said on Friday. State minister for Information and Public Relations Department Sanjay Kumar Jha in a series of tweets said that the Resident Commissioner in Delhi has also been instructed to be in touch with the embassy of Ukraine over the matter.

Also Read | 2,500 students from Gujarat, 2,320 from Kerala among thousands of Indians stranded in Ukraine

Although it was not known, so far, how many people from the state were currently in Ukraine, parents of boys and girls studying medicine in Kyiv and other parts of the restive country have been making appeals through the press. One such parent is Sunil Sharma, a resident of Jehanabad district, whose daughter Babita is a medical student in Ukraine. In Jehanabad town, Krishnapuri resident Amarendra Sharma is similarly worried for his son Anshuman who had returned home during the COVID-19 crisis but went bank to pursue his course earlier this month. "Anshuman spoke to us on the telephone on Thursday. He said he and other students were hiding in bunkers amid heavy shelling all around. We request the state government and the Centre to ensure the safe return of our children," he said.

Similar is the tale of woes of Anita Devi, a resident of Katihar whose son Abhinav had called from Vinnytsia to inform her that he was left with food for only three days. "My husband is a block-level office-bearer of the BJP. I request Prime Minister Narendra Modi with folded hands to help my son," said the harried mother amid sobs. Ujjwal from Muzaffarpur has similarly left his family members worried ever since he talked to them through an online platform. The guardians are worried that the war may soon take a toll on connectivity and they may not be able to hear from their children.

Also Read | Ukraine Crisis: J-K students launch toll-free number to help stranded Kashmiri students

However, minister Jha said that efforts were being made to "evacuate Bihar students via neighbouring countries like Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Romania". He said the chief minister was closely monitoring the situation and regular updates have been sought from the members of the cabinet who are also under instructions to reach out to families with all possible help. Jha also said that officials concerned of the Bihar government were working closely with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safe return of the youngsters belonging to the state.